guide to server virtualisation - smb - 8 january 2013 iii · server virtualisation contents...
TRANSCRIPT
0370 350 2552
Server Virtualisation
Contents
Foreword 2
Server Sprawl 3
Virtualisation Defined 4
Benefits of Server Virtualisation 5
Virtualised Infrastructure—benefits of a layered approach 6
Your choice of hypervisor 7
Storage Considerations 9
Business Continuity 10
Case Example 11
Conclusion 12
Visit our Website 13
Tek Response’s specialisms 14
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Foreword
Virtualisa�on Topped 2012 Priori�es
When research firm IDC asked chief informa�on officers to name their top
three IT priori�es for 2012, (Informa�on Week) nearly 40% selected
virtualisa�on and server consolida�on—more than any other area of IT.
The survey results highlighted that savings from server consolida�on would be
invested in new IT ini�a�ves such as cloud compu�ng, mobility, data analy�cs,
and use of social media for business purposes.
As a core IT infrastructure technology, server virtualisa�on offers a myriad of
benefits—elimina�ng ‘server sprawl’, making more efficient use of server
resources, improving server availability, assis�ng disaster recovery tes�ng and
development, and centralising server administra�on.
.
In exploring ‘Server Virtualisa�on’, this latest edi�on of Technology
Unscrambled looks at why you should consider implementa�on, the op�ons
available, and the benefits a virtualised infrastructure has to offer. See for
yourself how one of Tek Response’s clients has benefited from this approach.
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Server Sprawl
Historically, organisa�ons acquiring or crea�ng new applica�ons may have
typically deployed each new applica�on on its own server—separate servers
for separate roles, e.g. email servers, database servers, SharePoint servers,
project servers.
The purchase of a large number of inexpensive, low-end servers and the
prac�ce of dedica�ng servers to single applica�ons can lead to ‘server sprawl’.
This is a situa�on in which mul�ple, under-u�lised servers take up more space
and consume more resources than can be jus�fied by their workload.
Downstream costs associated with this approach include:
• System maintenance for each server
• Hardware replacement policies incurring addi�onal expenditure
• Higher electrical and cooling costs
• Increased requirements for floor space and networking
• Managing the different hardware and opera�ng systems associated with
each server – reducing IT efficiency and increasing the costs of ownership
Hardware u�lisa�on levels vary o<en resul�ng in organisa�ons not gaining full
value from each hardware purchase.
“Businesses are increasingly turning to server
consolida�on as a means of cu!ng costs, reducing
complexi�es and maximising ROI.”
Server consolida�on provides a solu�on to server sprawl by combining the
workloads running on mul�ple hardware pla=orms.
Various techniques exist to mi�gate server sprawl, most notably server
virtualisa�on.
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‘Virtualisa�on’ Defined
In compu�ng, virtualisa�on is the crea�on of a virtual (rather than actual)
version of something, such as a hardware pla=orm, opera�ng system (OS),
storage device, or network resources.
Virtualisa�on offers a wealth of benefits – streamlining applica�on
deployment, providing high availability for cri�cal applica�ons, simplifying IT
opera�ons and allowing organisa�ons to quickly and flexibly respond to
changing business requirements.
Our ‘virtualisa�on’ website channel provides further insight into the
virtualisa�on technologies available for your IT environment.
What is ‘Server Virtualisa�on’?
Server virtualisa�on is a proven technology that enables mul�ple virtual
machines to run on a single physical server.
Each virtual machine is completely isolated from other machines and is
decoupled from the underlying host by a thin layer of so<ware known as a
hypervisor. This allows each virtual machine to run different opera�ng systems
and applica�ons.
Because the machines have been decoupled from the underlying host, the
guest can also be moved from one physical server host to another while
running; this is known as live migra�on.
These aBributes are transforming how organisa�ons approach virtual
compu�ng.
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Benefits of Server Virtualisa�on
Server efficiencies—management of physical machines
With the consolida�on of physical servers, hardware maintenance costs are
reduced.
Space conserva�on
Space is conserved as several physical machines can be consolidated into one
server running mul�ple virtual environments.
Reduced power and cooling consump�on
Migra�ng physical servers over to virtual machines and consolida�ng them
onto fewer physical servers results in lower power and cooling costs.
Server hardware capital expenditure
Server virtualisa�on cuts down on server waste by more fully u�lising the
physical server resources and by provisioning virtual machines with the exact
amount of CPU, memory, and storage resources that it needs.
Faster server provisioning
Server virtualisa�on enables elas�c capacity to provide more flexible system
provisioning and deployment.
Minimising impact
Each virtual server can run its own opera�ng system and can be independently
rebooted. With each applica�on within its own virtual server, you can prevent
one applica�on impac�ng another when upgrades or changes are made.
You can deploy mul�ple opera�ng system technologies on a single hardware
pla=orm.
Increased up�me
Most server virtualisa�on pla=orms now offer a number of advanced features
that offer capabili�es such as live migra�on, storage migra�on, fault tolerance,
high availability, and distributed resource scheduling. These technologies
enable quick recovery from unplanned outages, such as the ability to quickly
and easily move a virtual machine from one server to another.
Improved disaster recovery
By consolida�ng servers down to fewer physical machines in produc�on, an
organisa�on can more easily create an affordable replica�on site.
Today, so<ware provides a way to test a disaster recovery failover.
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Your Virtualised Infrastructure
Once you introduce virtualisa�on into your infrastructure,
you are separa�ng it into layers:
Virtual machines
’Guest’ servers running the server roles on the physical ‘host’ server.
Many virtual servers to one host
Hypervisor
Runs over the top of the hardware
The hardware ‘host’
Benefits of a layered approach
This approach means it is possible to independently replace each layer, e.g.
introduce new server hardware, replace the exis�ng hypervisor and then
transfer those virtual guests onto the new hardware. This results in significant
�me (and therefore cost) savings.
As long as your hypervisor is capable of suppor�ng the previous virtual
machine, it can be upgraded.
At the ’guest’ level, a new virtual ’guest’ can be introduced, upgraded or
removed. This can be achieved without issue regarding the hypervisor or the
hardware beneath.
The hypervisor is responsible for talking to the hardware (the virtual machines
do not talk to the hardware directly). Being in the middle, it removes the
compa�bility issue. Therefore, these virtual machines can run different
opera�ng systems.
This flexibility allows addi�onal virtual machines to be rolled out without
having to consider the capital expenditure of new hardware. From an R&D
perspec�ve, a new server based product can be introduced into the
environment with minimal investment by seGng up a virtual machine
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VMware Microso5 Citrix
Product(s) vSphere is the
collec�ve term for
VMware’s virtuali-
sa�on pla=orm
Hyper-V 2012, 2008
R2
XenServer 6
Maturity
(Entered market)
2001/2002 2008 XenServer 2007
Market Posi�on 1 2 3
Pricing (rela�ve to
each other)
High Medium Lower
Technical capabili�es High Catching up fast Lower
The technical differences between the
two are reducing and in fact both ven-
dor’s products have different
strengths. In reality, the average busi-
ness looking at virtualisa�on will not
strongly benefit from one product over
the other. Tek Response finds Microso<
virtualisa�on is used by our clients in the
majority of cases—it is the cheaper of
the two and prevents the need to
introduce another vendor into the IT
pla=orm.
Our overall preference,
having considered the
bigger picture
2 1 3
Your Choice of Hypervisor
Selec�ng the right hypervisor is your first step towards success in building a
virtual infrastructure. It provides a tool for op�mising server hardware
investments by consolida�ng mul�ple server roles as separate virtual machines
running on a single physical host machine.
What are my choices for a hypervisor?
1) Microso< Hyper-V Server 2008 R2
2) Microso< Hyper-V Server 2012
3) VMware vSphere
4) Citrix XenServer
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Choices of Hypervisor Compared
The link opposite compares selected features of Windows Server 2008 R2
Hyper-V and Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V. The tables include comments
about each version’s performance, as well as informa�on about how well each
feature is supported.
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Storage Considera�ons
A key decision based around servers is storage. Where am I going to store my
applica�ons and my data? Where are my disks going to reside?
Disks can be located within the server as Direct A<ached Storage (DAS).
Alterna�vely, a Storage Area Network (SAN) can be introduced. This laBer
op�on incurs greater costs over the short term but provides a greater return
on investment and can extend the benefits of server virtualisa�on through live
migra�on.
Please refer to Tek Response’s ‘Guide to Storage’ edi�on of Technology
Unscrambled for further informa�on on the merits of SAN, par�cularly in a
server virtualisa�on environment.
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Business Con�nuity
Inbuilt resilience and high availability is easier to manage in a virtualised
server environment
With physical servers, building in resilience and high availability involves e.g.
mirroring a physical server to a second physical server. The cost of the
hardware and so<ware to achieve this, combined with the poten�al
professional service fees to set up and maintain this can be high. The more live
produc�on servers you have, the bigger this cost is. Typically, it is more than
double the cost of installing the physical infrastructure without the mirroring.
With Server Virtualisa�on and a SAN, rather than making an individual server
role resilient, you are making the pla=orm the infrastructure sits on resilient.
This is considerably more efficient and effec�ve.
All virtual machines reap the benefit of the investment you have built into the
pla=orm, such as mirroring and SAN to SAN replica�on.
Alterna�ves to a SAN
If you require a business con�nuity solu�on and do not want to introduce a
SAN, Double-Take Availability offers an alterna�ve op�on for clients using
Direct ABached Storage.
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Paintbox consolidates with server
virtualisa�on and SAN
Case Example
Discover how Tek Response worked with Paintbox to introduce server
virtualisa�on as part of a solu�on to consolidate two of the company’s sites,
including the:
• Crea�on of a single data centre
• Implementa�on of server virtualisa�on and SAN
• Rollout of desktop virtualisa�on
Learn more >>
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Conclusion
This guide presents the many benefits to be gained from server virtualisa�on,
including the eradica�on of ‘server sprawl’.
Server Virtualisa�on offers one of the most effec�ve methods to save costs,
consolidate hardware, increase the availability of business applica�ons, and
improve agility within an organisa�on’s infrastructure.
The business value gained from properly managed virtualisa�on — including
business con�nuity and ROI — provides a compelling reason for its adop�on.
Overall, server virtualisa�on is a low risk, high reward project that any
significant data centre should consider today. It can be performed in stages
easily, whereby ‘virtualising’ specific data centre areas — using the progressive
savings on successful virtualisa�on projects to pay for subsequent
deployments.
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Talk to us about server virtualisa�on…
• How can I virtualise my exis�ng environment?
• How can I make more efficient use of my server resources?
• How can I eliminate server sprawl?
• How can I improve server availability?
• What are the appropriate number of hardware ‘hosts’ needed to ensure
sufficient performance?
• How can server virtualisa�on help me save costs?
Tek Response has considerable experience implemen�ng virtual infrastructures,
tailoring solu�ons to clients’ individual requirements. With the myriad of
op�ons now available, Tek Response is advising and implemen�ng solu�ons for
clients that offer flexibility, scalability and evolving capabili�es.
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Visit our website ‘virtualisa�on’ channel to
find out more…
www.tekresponse.co.uk/virtualisa�on
0370 350 2552
Server Virtualisation
Addi�onal Tek Response specialisms:
Storage Mobility
So5ware Hosted and Managed
Networking Security
Server Cloud
Access Professional Services and Support
For more informa�on, simply telephone 0370 350 2552
or email [email protected]
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